தெரிந்ததும் தெரியாததும்

சமீபத்தில் SEVENELEMENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: AN ADVENTURE OF INGENUITY AND DISCOVERY என்கிற ஆங்கிலப் புத்தகத்தைப் நான் படித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். 12 ஆண்டுகளாக பிரிட்டிஷ் பெட்ரோலியம் கம்பெனியில் முதன்மை நிர்வாக அதிகாரியாக பணிபுரிந்த ஜான் ப்ரௌன் என்பவரால் எழுதப்பட்ட இந்த புத்தகம் இரும்பு, கரிமம் (CARBON), தங்கம், வெள்ளி, யுரேனியம், டைட்டானியம் மற்றும் கன்மம் (SILICON) என்ற ஏழு கனிமப்பொருட்கள் உலகையே மாற்றியமைத்தது எப்படி என்பது பற்றி மிக விரிவாக ஆராய்ந்து எழுதியிருக்கிறார்.

சிறு வயதிலிருந்தே நிறைய புத்தகங்களை வாசிக்கும் பழக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்திக்கொண்ட நான் பல ஆங்கிலப் புத்தகங்களைப் படித்துப் பார்த்து வியந்திருக்கிறேன். ஏனென்றால், ஒரு புத்தகத்தை எழுதி முடிப்பதற்கு எவ்வளவு ஆராய்ச்சிகள் மேற்கொள்கிறார்கள் என்பது பல ஆங்கிலப் புத்தகங்களின் இறுதியில் கொடுக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் பின் இணைப்பைப் பார்த்தாலே தெரியவரும். இப்படி ஆராய்ந்து ஒரு புத்தகத்தை எழுதி முடிப்பதற்கு பல மாதங்கள் ஆகலாம். தமிழில் அப்படி ஒரு புத்தகத்தை எழுதினால் இன்று எத்தனை பேர் படிப்பார்கள் என்பது இன்று ஒரு சவாலான கேள்வி. இன்டெர்னெட்டின் வளர்ச்சியில் ஏற்பட்ட ஒரு மிகப் பெரிய எதிர்மறை விளைவு புத்தகம் படிக்கும் பழக்கம் பொதுவாக எல்லா இடங்களிலும் நின்று போய்விட்டதுதான். அதிலும் முக்கியமாக, SOCIAL NETWORKING எனப்படுகிற FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, போன்ற சமூக வளைதளங்களின் வளர்ச்சிக்குப் பிறகு பஸ் டிக்கட் அளவிற்கு மேல் எழுதினால் யாருக்கும் படிப்பதற்கு பொறுமை இருப்பதில்லை என்று பேச்சு. ஒரு பத்திரிகைக்கு கதை, கட்டுரை எழுதினால் சுமார் 500. 600 வார்த்தைகளுக்கு மேல் வேண்டாம் என்று கூறிவிடுகிறார்கள். படிப்பவர்களுக்கு அதற்கு மேல் கவனம் இருப்பதில்லையாம்.

சுமார் 50 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்னால் தமிழில் கல்கண்டு என்ற பத்திரிகை வந்து கொண்டிருந்தது. திரு, தமிழ்வாணன் அவர்கள் நடத்தி வந்தார்கள். ஒரு சிறிய சினிமா பாட்டுப் புத்தகம் அளவுதான் இருக்கும். ஆனால், அந்த சிறிய புத்தகத்தில்தான் எத்தனை குட்டிக் குட்டித் தகவல்கள். INTERNET இல்லாத காலக் கட்டத்தில் வெளி நாடுகளில் பிரசுரமாகும் பல பத்திரிகைகள், செய்தித்தாள்களிலிருந்து சுவையான, பயனுள்ள, எல்லோரும் விரும்பக்கூடிய பல தகவல்களை எப்படித்தான் கல்கண்டு பத்திரிகைக்காக திரு.தமிழ்வாணன் அவர்கள் சேகரித்தாரோ, தெரியாது. அதுவும் வாரா, வாரம்.

அதன் பிறகு திரு.சுஜாதா அவர்கள் பல தொடர்கதைகளுக்கிடையே ‘கற்றதும் பெற்றதும்’ என்ற தலைப்பில் பல சுவையான தகவல்களை அவருக்கே உரியதான நகைச்சுவையுடன் எழுதி வந்தார். அதைப் போலவே திரு மதன் அவர்களும் ‘வந்தார்கள, வென்றார்கள்’ போன்ற நல்ல பல கட்டுரைகளை எழுதியிருக்கிறார். வர, வர, தமிழ் பத்திரிகைகளில் சினிமா சம்பத்தப்பட்ட செய்திகளுக்கே அதிக முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுத்து வெளிவருகிறது என்ற எண்ணத்தால் பல ஆண்டுகளாக தமிழ் பத்திரிகைகளைப் படிப்பதையும் பொதுவாக நிறுத்தி விட்டேன்.

இணையதளத்தில் இப்பொழுது WIKIPEDIA ஒரு பிரபலமான பக்கம். BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA என்கிற புத்தகத் தொகுப்பு எல்லாவிதமான தகவல்களையும் சமீப காலம் வரை கொடுத்துக்கொண்டிருந்தது. ஒரு தொகுப்பு மட்டுமே ஒரு புத்தக அலமாரி முழுவதையுமே எடுத்துக்கொண்டுவிடும். ஆனால், இந்த WIKIPEDIA பிரபலமான பிறகு ஒருவருக்கு எந்த தகவல் தேவையானாலும் இந்த இணையதளப் பக்கத்திலேயே உடனேயே பார்த்து தெரிந்துகொள்ளலாம். உங்களிடம் ஒரு தகவல் இருந்தால் அதைப் பற்றியும் இந்த WIKIPEDIA–வில் எழுதலாம் அல்லது வேறு யாரேனும் எழுதியிருந்தால் அதில் உங்கள் தகவலையும் சேர்த்துக் கொள்ளலாம்.

மீண்டும் விஷயத்துக்கு வருவோம்.

SEVEN ELEMENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD என்கிற புத்தகத்தைப் படித்துக்கொண்டிருக்கும் பொழுது இப்படி பல விஷயங்களை சேகரித்து எழுத வேண்டும் என்ற எனக்குள் அடங்கிக் கிடந்த ஆசை மீண்டும் உயிர் பெற்றெழுந்தது. இரும்பைப் பற்றி எழுதும் பொழுது திரு ஆண்ட்ரூ கார்னெகி என்ற அமெரிக்க இரும்புத் தொழிலதிபரைப் பற்றி ஆசிரியர் ஜான் ப்ரௌன் எழுதிய தகவல்களைப் படித்தபொழுது, மனதுள் தீர்மானம் பண்ணிக்கொண்டேன் ‘தெரிந்ததும் தெரியாததும்’ என்கிற தலைப்பில் நானும் பல தெரிந்த விஷயங்களைப் பற்றிய தெரியாத தகவல்களைச் சேகரித்து எழுத வேண்டும் என்று. முயற்சி செய்து பார்க்கிறேன். பலரும் படிப்பார்கள் என்று நம்புகிறேன்.

இந்த தகவல்கள் பொதுவாக எல்லோருக்கும் பயன்படும் என்றாலும், மாணவர்களுக்கு மிகவும் பயன்படும் என்று நம்புகிறேன். இன்று தகவல்களின் உலகம். நிறைய தகவல்களைத் தெரிந்துகொள்ளும் பொழுது நமக்கும் ஆராய்ச்சியில் ஈடுபாடு உண்டாகும். ஆக்கபூர்வமான சிந்தனைகள் மனதை நிரப்பி நமக்கும் எதையாவது சாதிக்கவேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணமும் உறுதியும் உண்டாகும்.

திருநெல்வேலி டவுண் கீழ ரதவீதியில் இருந்த சிவஞான முனிவர் நூலகத்திலும், காய்கறி மார்க்கெட்டுக்கு மேல் மாடியில் இருந்த பொது நூலகத்திலும் நான் மாணவனாக இருந்த 1955 – 1967 காலங்களில் மணிக்கணக்காக நூலகம் மூடும் வரை மாலை நேரத்தை நான் செலவிட்டிருக்கிறென். புத்தகம் படிப்பதில் சந்தானம் என்கிற என்னுடைய ஜூனியர் மாணவர்  நண்பர் எனக்குப் போட்டியாளர். ஆர். வி. சுப்ரமணியம் என்ற இன்னொரு சீனியர் மாணவர் எனக்கு புத்தகம் படிப்பதில் வழிகாட்டி. (இவர் பிற்காலத்தில் ஒரு உயர்ந்த I.P.S அதிகாரியாக தமிழ் நாட்டில் வேலை பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருந்தார்.) அன்று நிறையப் படித்தது எனக்கு இன்றும் வாழ்க்கையில் பெரிய ஊன்றுகோலாக இருக்கிறது.

எனது எழுத்துக்களை மாணவர்களுக்கு எப்படி கொண்டு சேர்ப்பது என்பதுதான் தெரியவில்லை. அந்தப் பொறுப்பை என்னுடைய குறுகிய வாசகர் வட்டத்திடமே விட்டு விடுகிறேன். இனி, இது உங்கள் குழந்தை. அதன் வளர்ச்சி உங்கள் கையில் இருக்கிறது.

“தெரிந்ததும் தெரியாததும்’ தொடர் கட்டுரைகளின் முதல் கட்டுரை திரு. ஆண்ட்ரூ கார்னெகி பற்றியதாகவே இருக்கட்டும்.

                                            .....மீண்டும் சந்திக்கலாம்.

Book review: "SCARCITY"

Scarcity

by

Sendhil Mullainathan and

Eldar Shafir

QUOTE: -

Scarcity captures mind. The mind orients automatically, powerfully, toward unfulfilled needs.

When a concept occupies our thoughts, we see words related to it more quickly.

The capture of attention can alter experience.

Economics is the study of how we use our limited means to achieve our unlimited desires.

While physical scarcity is ubiquitous, the feeling of scarcity is not. The feeling of scarcity is distinct from its physical scarcity. The feeling of scarcity depends on both what is available and on our own tastes.

Having less is unpleasant. Scarcity leads to dissatisfaction and struggle.  Scarcity is not just a physical constraint. It is also a mindset.

When scarcity captures the mind, we become more attentive and efficient. Because we are preoccupied by scarcity, we have less mind to give to the rest of life. (thus becoming a burden)

The scarcity of all varieties leads to a shortage of bandwidth, affecting all aspects of our behavior. It perpetuates scarcity. Poor stays poor. The lonely stays lonely. The busy stay busy.

The consequences may not be of the same magnitude.

- UNQUOTE

The book describes the effect of scarcity and its implication very effectively, with a number of illustrations and research case studies. Scarcity, not just of money. Maybe scarcity of time, health, energy and many more....

A very good book to read. It gives you a new perspective about why we behave the way we behave. 

According to the cover page of the book, 

Sendhil Mullainathan is a professor of economics at Harvard University, a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" and conducts research on behavioral economics and development economics. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Eldar Shafir is the William Stewart Tod Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He conducts research in cognitive science, judgment and decision making, and behavioral economics. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Mullainadhan and Shafir are cofounders of ideas42, a nonprofit that designs behavioral economics solutions to social problems.

T N Neelakantan

www.neel48.blogspot.com

What I learnt from my grandson Part III - What I learnt

What I learnt

I have heard a bit about ‘Sakshi Bhava’ or ‘Witness State’ from Sri Amma Bhagavan, my spiritual mentor. Bhagavan used to say: “To See is to Be Free.” We don’t notice things and they don’t exist. The existence of something depends on the very act of our seeing. This is a quantum truth. For the first time ever, I witnessed myself observing someone closely. A small child. One year old. My grandson, Sanjay. It opened my eyes to my present condition. I believe this is the first step towards liberation – to see things as they are, before we decide how we are going to reach where we want to be. As I continue to hear Sanjay speaking a few profound truths to me, several questions kept bombarding me.

Sanjay says: I am curious and inquisitive; I go where my heart goes. I wonder at everything. I love the quietness, music, nature, wind, sunshine, chillness, water, flowers, grass, animals, birds and all things in nature

I asked myself why I couldn’t go back to my childhood days of innocence, curiosity and inquisitiveness. What has happened to me? What prevents me from wondering at things? If only we had not stopped wondering, won’t we all be inventors ourselves? Why have I religiously followed a life of mundane activities? Why am I addicted to repetitive actions and reactions to things, people and situations and loathe to change? Why can’t I be proactive? Since when did I lose my identity with everything I came across? Why am I not able to pursue what my heart dictates?

Sanjay says: I am happy at every moment of life; I don’t need anything in particular to be happy, though I am happy with everything: I am unattached

Why am I chasing all sorts of things, all the time, in the hope that they will bring happiness to me, only to eventually discover that they don’t enchant me anymore once I acquire them? Why can’t I just be happy? Why do I need to be constantly praised, lauded, recognized so that I feel important to me? Why can’t I just feel important and valuable? What is my self-worth? Am I not worthy of happiness all the time?

Sanjay says: I don’t think at all; I just trust. I don’t fear unless you tell me, for I know that I am safe and taken care of, all the time. I am cautious too.

Why don’t I just trust? Why can’t I carry on my life, just trusting that there is Someone taking care of everything for me? What am I afraid of? Afraid of unknown? Afraid of my future? Afraid of losing my image? Afraid of losing what I have? Afraid of acquiring something I don’t wish to have? Afraid of my death? Why do I need to be afraid? Why do I need to be planning all the time for the unknown tomorrow? Why don’t I just enjoy the present moment as it is? Why am I unable to unburden myself from the pains of yesterday?

Sanjay says: I don’t need anything to feel occupied; I feel occupied all the time

Why am I not able to ‘Be’ with the moment? Why do I need to be doing something or other all the time to feel occupied? Why am I not able to be peace with myself and enjoy some leisure time for myself?

Sanjay says: I just say ‘no’ when I want to say ‘no’; somehow I also know to say, ‘Enough’.  I may appear to be stubborn at times and demanding or avoiding at other times. Honestly, I am just naturally, seeking what I want.

Why can’t I just say ‘no’ when I want to say ‘no’? Who am I afraid of? Who am I trying to please? Am I sincere and honest to myself when I say ‘yes’ to something or someone? Do I maintain my inner integrity? What kind of image of myself am I trying to protect? Am I bringing happiness to people around me by not saying ‘no’? Am I happy when I say ‘yes’?

Sanjay says: I don’t become angry with anyone or anything and I don’t feel hurt at anything. I don’t make calculations when I misbehave; I am just very natural – not just normal alone

Why do I feel hurt all the time with all sorts of things? Why don’t I accept things as they are? Why can’t I accept myself as I am with all my deficiencies? Why do I need to carry the burden of ill feelings about people, things, situations, and my experiences? Why do I become angry with them? I either feel guilty or hurt, why? Why do I need to be aggressive to protect MySelf? Why do I need to put up a victim or ‘poor-me’ picture of myself?

Sanjay says: I just treat everything as ‘play.’ I play tricks and entertain everyone; I can imitate, dramatize, learn, follow, understand and make everyone around me happy.

Is not life playful, we players – playing our part, meeting and parting, only to meet again at some other point? Why do I need to take everything seriously? Why do I need to compete all the time?

Sanjay says: I love company and relationship and I am never alone

Why do I feel lonely and bored most times? Don’t I realize that I am never alone and would never be?

Sanjay says: I keenly observe and notice everything; you may not take notice of my noticing everything

Had I only noticed that others are noticing me, won’t I be behaving differently? Won’t I be behaving better? Won’t I be conducting myself in ways that won’t at least sadden them, if not making them happy?

Sanjay says: I just am; I am: I Be – I do not try to become

Am I currently satisfied? Am I not constantly trying everything to become something else? Why can’t I, too, just Be? Why can’t I reverse the paradigm ‘Think’, ‘Act’, and ‘Be’ to ‘Be’, ‘Act’ and ‘Think’?

These questions continue to disturb me even today. And I am still seeking their answers.

In summary, what lessons did I learn from my grandson, Sanjay?

•       Be Natural
•       Go where my heart goes; maintain my inner integrity
•            Do things that I genuinely love to do
•      Accept myself, others, things and generally this world as it is.
•     Take responsibility for my actions and realize that I had a part in whatever experience I undergo right now; so, no need to blame others, no need to feel guilty, no need to feel hurt. I am beyond hurt, guilt, anger, and jealousy
•       Life is a flow, go with it; do not struggle
•      Everything is already kept in place by someone for you to be occupied and happy and that I don’t have to do anything in particular to be occupied and happy
•       Happiness lies in the process of life and not in the end result
•       Trust that there is someone taking care of everything including me; so I don’t need to have any fear
•      Life is relationship. In times of conflict, winning is not so much more important as maintaining my relationships. Life without relationship is as good as death itself.
•     Begin honestly to notice what is going on – inside and outside of you. Stay as a witness to everything.
•       BE something before I act to be something and think of being something

Did I succeed?

I know I am in the process. That itself is a success, according to the teachings of Sanjay. The process – the process of life – is the most important thing. Ultimately, we all succeed, I know.

Thank You, dear Sanjay, for your wonderful classes!

Asatho Maa Sath Gamaya! Thamaso Maa Jyothir Gamaya! Mruthyor Maa Amrutham Gamaya!!

Poornamadhaha Poornamidham Poornaath Poornam Udhachyathe! Poornasya Poornamaadhaaya Poornameva  Vachisyathe! Ohm Shanti, Shanti, Shanti hi!!

Ohm Namah Sivaaya

Concluded

40 years of mutual acceptance and tolerance.

40 years of mutual acceptance and tolerance. We may not have been the ideal ‘Made for Each Other’ pair, but we made ‘Relationship’ meaningful. Relationship is Love, the wise say. I have still not fully understood what Love is. But, I have understood what Love is not. Like God, ‘Love’ is better understood by what it is not. ‘neti, neti.’

Love is not judgmental

Love is not conditional

Love is not denial

Love is not guilt, hurt, hatred or jealousy and

Love is not many more things we presume.

And so is Relationship too. Thank you, Lakshmi Ji for everything in my life. Thank you, Sri Amma Bhagavan to bring home this message in my life.

I know I am not perfect. At least, I honestly try.

T.N.Neelakantan

&&&&&&&&

An extract from my book: SHORT STORIES FOR SUCCESS FOR YOUNG READERS: A NEW LEXICONUNFOLDED:

R for Relationship

“Your very identity comes from your relationships.” – Sri Amma Bhagavan, Founder of Oneness Movement

That day, the children of class V were quite taken aback by a simple question from Kamala teacher.

“Who are you?”

“I am Brinda,” replied Brinda, from the front row.

“Who are you?” Kamala teacher persisted again, as though she didn’t understand Brinda’s reply.

Brinda thought over for some time before she said, “I am Brinda, student of class V.”

“Who are you?”

Brinda wondered, what Kamala teacher was driving at. She thought she would answer differently. “I am the daughter of Venugopal and Sivasankari.”

“Who are you?”

Brinda was now really puzzled. She didn’t know how to explain further.

“She is Brinda, sister of Vasudev who studied here last year,” someone shouted from behind.

“Who are you?” Kamala teacher asked Brinda once again.

“I am a girl.” Brinda thought she gave a wise answer.

“Who are you?”

“I am the bully of the class!” shouted Pritam and everyone laughed.

Different answers came from different children. But no one had any clue why the teacher was bent upon asking the question again and again.

After some time, Kamala teacher explained to the class, “See! It is very difficult to answer the question, ‘Who are you?’ without relating yourself to something or someone else. You are so and so, son or daughter of so and so, brother or sister of so and so, father or mother of so and so, a student of so and so school, a friend of so and so, or you are a player, a dancer, a painter, an Indian, a Sinhalese, a Tamilian, a Kannadiga and so on. Yes, let me tell you once again. We, humans, have no existence without relating ourselves to someone else or something else. We are all related. We are all connected. Everything in this world is connected. Without Relationship, we have no existence. That is why Relationship is the most important thing in life. We need to preserve and maintain our relationship with everyone else and everything else. At times, we may even have to sacrifice everything else for the sake of relationship.”

“But, there is so much fighting going on everywhere,” commented Sukumar.

“Yes, that is very unfortunate. People become selfish and forget their relationship and connections. But, when we maintain a good relationship, there will be less fight and more peace.”

“Let us go back to the Epic Mahabharat once again. Pandavas were deprived of their kingdom. They spent thirteen years in exile in forests, consequent to their losing their kingdom. They lost everything. But, Pandavas were righteous people. They didn’t want a war with Duryodhana and his brothers, just to get back their kingdom. They were willing to give up their claim for kingdom and accept just five hamlets in its place. They cared for their relationship which was very important to them. ‘After all, we both Pandavas and Kauravas are brothers from the same forefathers,’ they said.

Again when the Kurukshetra war was about to begin, Arjuna dropped his bow and arrows, seeing all his relatives lined up on the opposite side in the battlefield for the war. He feared all of them would die in the war. He didn’t want to fight, as he wanted to save his relationship. Relationship, again, was very important to Arjuna.

But Duryodhana was jealous and unyielding. We all know what happened in the end of the war.”

“But how do we maintain good relationships?” Sukumar asked again.

“By cultivating respect for everyone, by our willingness to be open, trusting, listening, sharing, and admitting our mistakes, we can develop and maintain good relationships. 

There is happiness in Relationship. Some wise man said: ‘Everything dependently arises and dependently ceases.’ We have Mother’s Day, Valentine Day, Teacher’s Day, and Children’s Day. Why not we have a Relationship Day?”

Towards the end of the class, Kamala teacher introduced a unique process. Every student would have to go to every other student, introduce himself or herself, learn about each other, hug each other and tell that they love each other’s company. The children felt so excited about the exercise and went about it with great enthusiasm.

≡≡::≡≡

Do you like the story? Please do send your comments.

 

My Kindle books for free download - Remember, Sunday, the 8th June, 2014.

Most of you might be aware that I write books and self-publish on www.amazon.com.

Here is an opportunity for you to download all my following three books for free from Amazon.

Short Stories for Young Readers - Book 1

Short Stories for Success for Young Readers - A New Lexicon Unfolded

What If Our Dreams Come True! - An Uncommon Meeting with Lord Siva

But you can do it only on the coming Sunday, the 8th June, 2014.

Remember, Sunday, the 8th June, 2014.

Download for free on Sunday, the 8th June, 2014, read and send your comments to Amazon and to me.

T N Neelakantan

What I learnt from my grandson - Part II

What I observed!

Sanjay was very curious, inquisitive, seeking, wondering and marveling, practically, at everything. Everything attracted him and he was happy about everything.

He was happy all the time, in every moment. He didn’t need anything in particular to be happy. He was happiness himself. He was never attached to anything in particular, though he fancied everything he saw, touched, and felt. As his interests in things shifted from moment to moment, every moment of his life seemed fanciful.

He just didn’t seem to think. He was out of his mind all the time, I mean, outside of his mind. He did what genuinely pleased him - no matter whether it pleased someone or not, never making mental calculations, trusting the moment, trusting that there is someone to take care. He never hesitated saying ‘no,’ or ‘enough,’ without feeling guilty about it. He never found the need to keep pleasing people, yet, he pleased everyone.

His frequent crying was his only way of communicating to us that something was wrong. If he screamed, threw tantrums, or yelled, they were his way of drawing our attention when he felt it was lacking. Nevertheless, they were so temporary that even the sight of a small bird scrounging for some food in our backyard was sufficient to shift his attention. He was very demanding or adamant at times and misbehaving at other times, but it was just normal and not premeditated.

He needed nothing in particular to be occupied. He was simply occupied with anything on hand, with everything he did.

Time had no relevance to him. Yesterday, today and tomorrow were the same to him. NOW is the only time he recognized.

He might have revolted, thrown tantrums, and screamed – but that was how he was, naturally expressing his anger. We might have scolded him, taunted him, threatened him, scared him, denied him, gave him a timeout, but he was never hurt. He was beyond it. He would always come back to us, the very next moment, as though nothing ever happened. He was also amenable to our every trick to bring him in line and he had never felt bad about them.

Everything was playful and fun for him. ‘It is funny,’ was his approach. He was a source of happiness for everyone around, in whatever he did, in whatever he uttered. Maybe, he had played pranks on people or was goofing off. That was for fun. He didn’t intend anything. He imitated, dramatized, incanted many words and sounds over and over again without getting bored, created scenes over nothing, and invented his own rote method of learning and remembering. All for fun. Overall, he was rather a great entertainer.

He observed everything and everyone – our manners, what we preferred or avoided, what we accepted or rejected, when and how we dodged him, our language – good or bad, what dress we usually wore for occasions, what his parents agreed or disagreed and argued or fought about. The list was endless. We might not even know that he was observing.  

He loved company even while he loved solitude and quietness. He also loved music, nature, space, fire, wind, sunshine, chillness, water, flowers, grass, birds, animals and all things in nature, all in the same breadth. He also loved teamwork and relationship. Of course, he loved some, more than the others.

He was very vulnerable, gentle, soft, innocent and at times violent too. He was also very clever and intelligent.

He didn’t really fear much, though a few things startled or scared him. He was very cautious too.

He just was; he was what he truly was: His SELF was not there, so no ego.  He was just a Being rather than trying to become something. He was just natural, normal and he didn’t have to be anything different. He didn’t have to become something to be something. He was everything and Every Thing was Him. He didn’t differentiate. He was Dependence and Freedom fused into One.

                                                                                                        To be continued …………………….

What I learnt from my grandson? My first interaction with Sanjay

I first met Sanjay, my grandson, only when he was seven months old. At the very first sight, after he landed on Tenkasi railway station in January, 2010, he jumped to me and never complained about my company. He was a diaper baby, wanting to be held by people all the time. Whenever it was time for diaper-change, his father, who was a master storyteller, told him stories spun out of thin air and dodged him. And he listened intently and laughed. Sanjay wondered at everything; a small used tooth brush or water jetting out of the pipes is all the same to him. He loved playing in the water. He made a few attempts to sit on his own, couldn’t maintain his balance and fell on his back all the time. Soon, he went back to U.S.A and I met him again, only a couple of months later, when I too joined them in their place.

Sanjay, by then, had become quite active, crawling everywhere and moving around. He became mischievous too. He received admonishments from everyone for a host of things, but he always disarmed people by his laugh.

He preferred the kitchen utensils, plastic boxes, spoons, and a host of household things to the fanciful toys people bought for him. He liked tasting the mud and dirt when he knew we weren’t noticing. He loved listening to music while trying to sleep, watched the birds perching on the tree tops calling forth their comrades ‘cuckoo, cuckoo…’, deftly managed to dodge us when we brought food to his mouth, howled when we were not around or when we placed him in his crib so he couldn’t escape, screamed when he couldn’t explain what troubled him otherwise, and thus he was growing. His only mode of communication with us was either screaming or sign-language.

That was the first time, I closely observed a child growing; I am sorry that when my own children were growing up, I was more obsessed with my career and work and thanks to my wife, I remained virtually ignorant of how the children grew up.

Soon, Sanjay learnt to stand up on his own. We were excited. For several days, we had expectantly waited with our video camera on, hoping he would walk, but he didn’t. Just after a few days of his first birthday and just a few days before we headed back to India, as though he wanted to oblige us, he took a few steps and walked when we least expected. He was more ecstatic than us on his accomplishment, clapped his hands in a mood of self-adulation and frenzy. He clamored a lot and looked around with pride. We rushed to fetch our video cameras and he didn’t fail us. He walked again, this time a little longer. He felt even more excited. And then, he walked more and more.

His curiosity grew gradually in more and more areas. He learnt how to be adamant and insistent to get his things done from us. We invariably obliged. He always wanted to have everything we had. He wasn’t afraid of trying things we usually forbid small kids to do, pumping up our blood pressure. But he loved doing them, no matter what we thought about them.

In the course of three months I spent with him, I observed him closely and I realized he was teaching me something profound! He appeared to be my Little Guru in the making. 

                                                                                                              To be continued …………………..